Italian journalist Luigi Garlando believes that midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu’s improvements over the course of the season have been key to the Nerazzurri’s improvements as a team.
Writing in his column in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Garlando praised the Turk’s displays and spoke about the overall balance of the side.
Calhanoglu’s early-season performances saw him come in for some criticism, with the 27-year-old not always having lived up to expectations apart from his impressive debut against Genoa.
However, as the season has wore on, he has found his role in the team and begun to pay back the faith shown by the club when they decided to bring him in from city rivals AC Milan during the summer.
Garlando believes that he is at the epicentre of an overall cresting in form at the Nerazzurri, who are beginning to show their best at the right time.
“Inter have not escaped the injury crisis to key defenders,” he writes. “De Vrij is still out. Against Napoli, Inzaghi got off very well with Ranocchia, without lowering the line to deny Osimhen space in which to attack.”
He describes this as “One of Simone’s many correct decisions, which havebrought Inter to 2 points from the top.”
“They return to the Olimpico,” he continues, “where on Matchday eight, they fell to defeat at the hands of Lazio (3-1), showing balance problems which they then solved without diminishing offensive inspiration.”
“They have firmly planted another player in the centre, in the form of Calhanoglu,” Garlando explains. “And it has been the Turkish player, with his dynamism and dribbling, who has created the new balance – four goals conceded in the last eight matches, Champions League included.”
“Tonight, against a Roma team with a strong counterattack, will be an important crash test,” he goes on. “Then, Simone will close out the year facing the lowest-ranked teams (Cagliari and Salernitana) and then Torino – he can further reduce the gap at the top.”
